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Riding center gets $10,000 donation

REACH (Riding Equines to Achieve Confidence and Health) Therapeutic Riding Center in McGregor recently received a $10,000 donation from the Brazos Higher Education Service Corp.

Murray Watson, president and chief executive officer of Brazos Higher Education Service Corp., presented the donation to Larry Barnett, the center’s executive director. The center is a nonprofit corporation that provides therapeutic riding and hippotherapy, a treatment strategy that uses equine movements.

The funds will provide horseback riding scholarships for the disabled in the McLennan County area.

Brazos also has pledged another $10,000 in grant money to REACH in matching funds to be donated in July 2012.

Therapeutic riding is the use of the horse and equine-oriented activities to achieve a variety of therapeutic goals, including cognitive, physical, emotional, social, educational and behavioral improvements.

Murray Watson (second from right), president and CEO of Brazos Higher Education Service Corp., presents a $10,000 donation to Larry Barnett, executive director of REACH Therapeutic Riding Center in McGregor. Also pictured are volunteers Diane McEachern (far left) and Bob Chambers. Rider Katy Siegmund watches from the back of Aggie.

Photo submitted by Barbara Epps

Northwest Waco Rotary Club scholarships given

Northwest Waco Rotary Club awarded $5,500 in scholarships to students at McLennan Community College and Texas State Technical College for the 2011-12 year. Pictured are (from left) club president Greg Evans; MCC student Sarah Crawshaw, of West; club secretary James Jackson; and MCC student Ben Skrabanek, of Marlin. Other MCC recipients included Cinda Keane and Molly Martin. 

Photo submitted by Kim Patterson

Senior care facility receives accolades

Team members with Greenview Manor, a senior care facility at 401 Owen Lane in Waco, gather for a group photograph at the entrance. The facility was appointed to be part of the CEO Roundtable Advisory Board for SavaSeniorCare Administrative Services LLC. The selection is given to the best performers in each region and is based on overall excellence in quality care and operational performance. Members of the CEO Roundtable have the opportunity to advise the company regarding best practices.

Covered up in Waco ISD

Waco ISD is awash in T-shirts — about 40,000 of them — because of a donation from Waco’s Profiles International and Microsoft. The shirts were originally destined for Louisiana, but the project was canceled. Profiles Senior Vice President Caren Shaffer and operations manager Jack Murphy stepped in to request that Waco ISD receive the clothing instead. Practical uses include art projects or for students who are out of dress code. About 8,000 shirts have been allotted to nurse’s stations in the district and another 3,000 will be used for homeless outreach.